We propose to organize and conduct the Fourth (Nov. 1-3, 2012) International Symposium on Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) (CAYA NHL) at the New York Sheraton Hotel and Towers in NYC, NY. The first two symposia were held at the same venue in NYC in 2003 and 2006 and the most recent in Frankfurt, Germany in 2009. Mitchell S. Cairo, MD and Alfred Reiter, MD have been the Chair and Co-Chair of all four of these international symposia on CAYA NHL. NHL in children and adolescents is an orphan (rare) disease accounting for only approximately 750-800 cases per year in the U.S. However, despite a dramatic improvement in the overall survival (OS) in CAYA with NHL over the past 30 yrs, there has been limited resources applied to increasing our understanding of the epidemiology, basic biology, development of novel translational and targeted therapies and long term effects of this orphan disease and almost negligible educational conference support. Adult NHL, a still rare but more common disease (55,000/yr/U.S.), with only a minimal increase in survival rates compared to CAYA NHL during the same 30 yr period, has in the past received substantially more NIH and biopharmaceutical educational conference support. Despite the improvement in 5yr OS in CAYA NHL, there are still a number of unanswered questions which require future critical investigations that would be facilitated in part following a multidisciplinary and multinational symposia on this subject matter The primary objectives of the proposed conference (Brief): 1) to present advances in the biology and treatment of CAYA with BL, DLBCL, LBL and ALCL; 2) to highlight new advances in diagnosis and treatment of rare histological subtypes including PTCL, T/NK NHL, and follicular NHL in CAYA patients; 3) to identify the genomics, proteomics and immunophenotypic features of CAYA NHL; 4) to characterize the biology and treatment and facilitate collaboration between pediatric and medical oncologists in the care of AYA with NHL; 5) to discuss new, novel and targeted therapeutic strategies in CAYA with NHL; 6) to develop humoral, cellular and stem cell therapy approaches in CAYA with NHL; Secondary objectives: 1) to promote the education, success and leadership of young investigators and investigators in training who perform research in CAYA with NHL; 2) to enhance international communication and collaboration with investigators taking care of CAYA with NHL; and 3) to provide educational opportunities for investigators working in less resourced socioeconomic environments that are involved in the care or research of CAYA with NHL. The results of the Fourth International Symposium will most likely increase our understanding of the basic, translational and clinical state of the scienc research in this rare disease and provide an opportunity and platform to engage young and senior multidisciplinary and multinational investigators to develop international collaborative research and develop less toxic and more molecular and immune targeted based research for future generations of patients with CAYA NHL. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This international symposium on childhood, adolescent and young adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma will be attended by multidisciplinary and multinational investigators. The educational program will facilitate new knowledge in this field, facilitate international collaborative research, enhance the maturation of young investigators in this specialty and bridge the clinical and scientific gap between pediatric and medical oncologists treating adolescents and young adults (AYA) with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.